Thief Needlessly Steals Hearing Aid
A burglar stole a £2,000 hearing aid from a disabled man in what police described as a “particularly vile” crime.
The thief broke into 44-year-old David Lenehan’s house in Crownhill Road, between 10.30pm and midnight on Monday, April 7 and stole the piece of specialist equipment, without which he finds it difficult to communicate. The crime was discovered only when one of his carers, on whom he relies to get in and out of bed, came at 7.30am the following day, to find the front door wide open, with the key still in it. The burglar had smashed open a box with a keypad containing the key to the home and then opened the front door. Mr Lenehan was asleep at the time of the incident and could not hear the intruder.
Investigating officer Dc Tona Pooley said: “This is a particularly vile crime, the hearing aid is absolutely worthless to anyone else.” She appealed for anyone who had found a hearing aid discarded in the area of Crownhill Road since the break-in on Monday night.
Mr Lenehan has been extremely shaken up by the incident and has moved temporarily into Whitleigh House, a residential home, whilst he recovers from the stress of the ordeal. He said, “I’m just glad I’m here to tell the tale.” His carer of five years, Joyce Champion, said: “David is very vulnerable. He cannot get out of bed on his own. Once he’s in his wheelchair, this is where he’s got to stay.
“If someone was to attack David, he wouldn’t be able to do anything. He is deeply distressed. David is happy-go-lucky with a brilliant outlook on life, he is now not the same David. It’s really shaken him. It could have been fatal.”
David had bought the new hearing aid out of his own funds and it wasn’t covered by insurance.
Other items that were stolen included his wallet and a cash box, both containing money, cash cards and important documents such as his birth certificate.
Joyce said carers had had their tyres punctured outside his house in the weeks leading up to the incident and a bungalow behind David’s had also been vandalised, its windows having been smashed.
DC Pooley said scenes of crime officers had combed the house and police have carried out house-to-house inquiries. She also appealed for anyone who knew anything about the burglary to get in touch.
Anyone who can help should contact police on 08452 777444, quoting crime number EL082545
Source thisisplymouth.co.uk
